No ‘quick fix’ for Flames says Feaster

Calgary GM admits team in the midst of a rebuild

Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster spoke with the media Friday and stated the team’s intentions going into the NHL Entry Draft and free agency.

Photograph by: Gavin Young
, Calgary Herald

Blessed with oodles of draft picks and acres of cap space, the Calgary Flames are ideally positioned to become a good team.

Some day.

Not right now.

“I don’t think there’s a quick fix,” Jay Feaster, general manager of the Flames, said Friday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome. “The fact of the matter is, we have to do a better job as an organization in drafting. There’s not enough players that are pushing through right now. We have to do a better job of developing players.

“And we have to continue to add assets. We can’t keep trading away high draft picks and trying for that solution that gets us into the playoffs ... at the expense of the foundation.”

Lessons, hopefully, learned.

Furthermore, Feaster, after joking (probably) about seeing a therapist, finally admitted that, yes, you can call this exactly what it is.

“It is a rebuild,” said Feaster, chuckling. “We are rebuilding. I can acknowledge that.”

Well, first steps and all that.

Patience, though, is required on all fronts — fans, reporters, coaches, managers, owners — because the Flames’ climb to relevancy is a long one.

The team last season placed 25th overall in the National Hockey League. Already some Las Vegas bookies have installed the Calgarians as “favourites” to finish 30th overall in 2013-14.

Feaster cannot lose sleep about that.

He’s got picks to make (draft is June 30). He’s got bucks to spend (free agency opens July 5).

“We have a lot of needs,” he said. “Obviously, we have to improve ourselves at the centre-ice position ... both at the top of the lineup, in terms of the top-two lines and as it relates to third- and fourth-line centres, in terms of more size and being harder to play against, being better on faceoffs. We’d like to have more of a physical, shutdown identity, particularly on our third pairing on the blue line.

“Overall, we continue to need to get tougher, we continue to need to get bigger. And we wouldn’t mind bringing in a shooting winger, too, particularly on the right side.”

The Flames possess nine draft selections, including three first-rounders (thanks to the in-season hockings of Jay Bouwmeester and Jarome Iginla).

Feaster confirmed that everything is in play — and that their list of untouchables is tinier than ever — but added that the team would cling to, or improve, their sixth shout. Hard to blame them in a year when the talent pool, according to experts, is deep.

For those with short memories, the Flames went to Pittsburgh last year with one first-round pick — 14th overall. This, they shuttled to the Buffalo Sabres for Nos. 21 and 42, with which they plucked unheralded Mark Jankowski and blue line banger Pat Sieloff.

Reaction from the faithful was mixed.

Jankowski, still only 18, recorded 18 points in 34 games for Providence College this past season. Upside is there, but it is long-term.

“We’ve been questioned about the whole Jankowski thing at length,” said Feaster. “As you look at where we are with our prospects, we have a lot of good, young prospects at the NCAA level. I’d like to see more good, young prospects in Abbotsford (of the American Hockey League) and here. That’s obviously something we’ve talked about as a group.”

Holding picks Nos. 6, 22 and 28 — but zip in the second round — the Flames are not likely to sit still on that Sunday afternoon in Newark, N.J.

“We have had extensive conversations with teams about trying to move up in the draft — into the top five,” said Feaster. “We at least know which teams are willing to do something, and, if they are, what it would take to do that. There’s a good understanding of which picks are in play.”

Feaster, poking out his head for the first time in six weeks, had a lot of ground to cover Friday.

Highlights from the 30-minute sermon:

Miikka KiprusoffWith a single season remaining on his contract — paying him a relatively small sum of $1.5 million — Kiprusoff, it is assumed, will retire this summer. However, there has been no official indication from the goalie.

“I talked with him just this week,” said Feaster. “and we made sure he knows that we will wait for him to be sure about what he wants to do.”

Compliancy buyoutsTeams can exercise two buyouts — with zero salary-cap residue — this summer or next. Feaster said his team is not going that route.

That’s not to say the Flames aren’t interested in sifting through the bought-out flotsam.

“The (buyout) period opens 48 hours after the last Stanley Cup game,” said Feaster, “so we are anxious to see what some other teams do.”

Restricted free agentsTeams have until July 2 to tender qualifying offers, part of the process of retaining the rights of a restricted free agent.

Feaster acknowledged that centre Mikael Backlund and defencemen T.J. Brodie and Chris Butler are staying but refused to divulge much else.

However, Abbotsford assistants Luke Strand and Cail MacLean have tendered their resignations for “family reasons,” according to Feaster.

Additionally, Craig Conroy, special assistant to the general manager, is taking over the day-to-day management of hockey operations in Abbotsford.

Anton Babchuk, Roman Cervenka, Karri RamoFeaster confirmed that Babchuk and Cervenka — officially under contract to the Flames until July 5 — are bound for Europe. But he came short of saying that Finnish goalie Ramo (reportedly already signed by the Flames) has an NHL contract in pocket.

“I can’t say anything about Ramo,” said Feaster, “other than the fact that we’ve obviously had conversations with his agent. He wants to come over. July 5 is when, under the rules, we’re allowed to sign him. I’m optimistic about that.”

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.